


Changing Circumstances

by Merfilly



Series: Future in the Making [8]
Category: Transformers (Bay Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Future Fic, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-06
Updated: 2012-03-06
Packaged: 2017-11-01 14:08:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/357703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chromia's fate is debated, as others work on being less threatening</p>
            </blockquote>





	Changing Circumstances

**Author's Note:**

> My love to Ilyena_Sylph for looking it over, and to Femme4Jack for both Patronus and being my idea bouncer.

The first thing Blaster had learned on meeting the resident communications expert was that she was a survivor of a Decepticon attack. The second thing he learned was that she had a very hard edge toward him, on learning who his mentor had been. He did not know how to learn more than that, and did not dare ask her directly about the odd way she walked and moved.

Maggie was professional with him, at least, as long as Scorponok was safely tucked away or not present. It had been the sight of the scuttling symbiont that had led to Blaster learning of her hate for Soundwave and his symbionts, though she seemed at ease with most of the Autobots, and even the handful of former Decepticons on Mars. Deep in his spark, Blaster wished he could ease the negativity he caused her to feel. It was enough for him to hope that he could transfer down to Earth, just so she wouldn't be reminded…. He caught that idea by its tail, and smiled. Maybe he, and Scorponok, would be less of a reminder if they chose a new form? 

When it came down to it, Blaster had enjoyed her company when he could move her to talk about coding and cyphers and electronic evolution of idea sharing. Settling in among the Autobots meant learning how best to work with humans, and Blaster yearned to prove to this brilliant mind that he was nothing like the one who had been given the task of his development.

::Scorpy, what do you think?:: he questioned the lazy symbiont within him.

::Form is no concern. Femme is smart. New start time?::

Blaster had to hide his smile, as the arachnid agreed with him. "Miss Madsen?"

The woman looked at him, still guarded in ways that pained him. "Yes, Blaster?"

"I… I like working with you. You've taught me so much about the communication systems here." Blaster's words stumbled a little in his processor, as he tried to determine how to say it in a way that would not cause more stress. "I would rather go to Earth than continue to cause you unpleasant associations, but what I'd like most is … can you help me find a design for myself and my symbiont, one that let you continue to work with me but not always be reminded?"

The femme's face did an amazing contortion of emotions. Blaster wanted to learn those languages too, the ones that relied on muscles and chemical markers. At last, she answered him, just as he began to wonder if he had erred completely. "It's not your fault."

"But it pains you, and as Scorponok said, the form is no concern. I would be… honored, to have one so intelligent help me choose my final form. And Scorponok… he does not like reminding others of long-gone battles. He wants to start new too."

"Let me think on it?" Maggie answered that, her eyes dark and suspiciously wet.

"Yes, Miss Madsen," Blaster told her, hope in his spark that they would work past the issues keeping them from a true working partnership.

`~`~`~`~`

"Mik, you just have t' go and find a mystery when ah'm on another planet?" Jazz asked as the connection clarified and showed him in the control room at the embassy on Earth. She laughed, sitting on top of the table, which was not uncommon when a human was holding a meeting with mechs. Optimus sat in one seat, Ratchet another, while Bobby used the adjustable human-tall chair that raised him up. Ironhide and Arcee had both been advised privately, but Prime would not let them participate in the meeting. Will, Ultra Magnus, Kup, and Grimlock's stasis-bound frame were already loading into Sky Lynx, but only because First Aid had double checked Ratchet's medical findings on the warrior mech. The junior medic had been chagrined to have to do that; Ratchet was far superior as far as he was concerned.

"Jazz, it's my job to keep you on your toes by being unpredictable, and to watch your aft by cleaning up the messes," she answered him sweetly.

"So far we know Chromia is not fully herself, nor was she actually salvaged by the Junkions, though she believes that and did suffer at their hands," Optimus began. "This may or may not be connected to the incursions in our system here. We are dealing with a very advanced race if so, and cannot be certain Chromia is neither a threat nor a spy."

"I maintain that if she has subliminal programming, it is very deeply hidden. All of her actions to date have been consistent with her psyche profile and experiences through the last vorn of the war," Ratchet said.

"And none of us are questioning that, Ratchet," Mikaela quickly said. "The question is, how do we proceed? What if her reason for remaining in the cell is her base programming trying to shield us all from something she only vaguely understands she harbors?"

"What can we learn from finding whatever it is inside her?" Jazz asked, throwing the practical matter out for consideration.

"We have a responsibility to both planets, both species in this system that makes me hesitant to allow Chromia out of isolation. I am aware that we need to explore further, but I do not care to risk anyone with a potential time-bomb," Optimus said.

Bobby cleared his throat. "It's what we do, Prime. First off, we need to look at a factor all of you but Mikaela seems to have overlooked. And I'm surprised at you all for it, especially you, Prime with your speeches on Freedom blah blah blah." Every one looked at him, Mikaela's eyes almost dancing with amusement for his words. "Chromia's acting like herself, right Ratchet? Mik, you said you think she's holding herself separate out of a potential awareness of the danger she is. Seems to me, we need to put her in a solid cell, two way comms, explain the hell out of what we do know, and ask her opinion."

"That could trigger it," Jazz pointed out.

"Could. Then we'd know." Bobby shrugged. "Might not, though, and then we'd have her as an ally to find whatever it really is, instead of fighting us out of sheer self-preservation."

"Let me talk that over with Ironhide and Arcee first," Optimus said after a long moment's consideration. 

"And hold off 'til ah'm home," Jazz added. "Ah'll convince Sky Lynx t' kick it in the burners when he gets here, t' bring me back."

"Better you doing the scan code than Maggie or even Blaster. She's got her own problems, and he's too inexperienced," Ratchet agreed.


End file.
